Government proposals could make unemployment even worse, warns TUC

12 May 2011 10:55 AM

Commenting on the government's review of employment law published yesterday, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'We welcome the proposed extension of the right to request flexible working. A broad right to request should have happened years ago, but this is still good news for staff and the employers who will gain from a better motivated workforce.

'But we are very worried by the other proposals up for review.

'High levels of compensation for discrimination are only awarded in severe cases. It is right that people who have lost out through the unfair practices of their employer receive proper compensation - and that helps ensure employers act fairly in the first place.

'Taking a discrimination case is not easy and requires expert legal advice. It is the employer equivalent of the urban myth that there are myriad vexatious claims.

'Making it easier to make people redundant and giving the workforce less time to come up with alternatives to job losses threatens to make unemployment even worse.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The government's review of employment law is available at http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=419433&NewsAreaID=2

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

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